The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-02-12

US lVei uucOuloTlaDie. III may nave been
.carelessness or accident or something else,
but occurring just at this time It was un-
fortunate. Though S2OaOOO worth of
property was destroyed, we were fortunate
In saving with slight damage, two of the
finest steamships in our port, and more
especially fortunate in escaping without
serious loss of life. We hope for the best.
The men are sober and quiet and the
authorities fully prepared for any elncrgen-
cy. Still, as l remarked at the beginning,
we feel very much like that fellow sitting
on barrel of powder.
think everybody is fighting mad, and
every day the row between the rival operas
is getting warmer. The Metropolitan
Opera House with German opera is sweep
ing OH majestically to the end of its season
with full ceffers, full houses. and audiences
whose enthusiasm sometimes threatens to
lift the ponderous roof right off the house.
have seen, what people call enthusiasm.
| have witnessed furores for actors and
singers, but [ have never, never, never
seen anything that will compare with this
Wagner craze. The Germans are not n
mercuriai OF eXcitable people like the
French. As general thing they 60 slow,
take things deliberately, and are not easily
thrown off Of their centers. | am not
astonished that Strauss should move them.
Often as have sat in til big music halls
of Berlin, Vienna, Frankfort, and Hanover,
and have watched Thousand couples,
every one OF which would tip the scale at, A
quarter of a ton, whirlng' around like a
couple of immense cannon balls and with
the impact OF a battering ram, although
I'm no chicken Eye often felt like kicking
up my heels myself; but what is there in
our latest craze. Tristan and | solde TO
move men and women to madness is one of
those incomprehcnsibe things that l never
expect to find out. l spoke of this matter
a couple of weeks ago, and my wonder
hiGhtens for on every representation the
things grows, and the house is crowded
with musical lunatics whose case is hope
less.
The difference in the success of two of
the greatest musicians that we have had on
this continent-Theodore Thomas and
Anton Seidl-can be summed mp in nut
shell. Mr. Thomas is great musician, a
great organizer, a great leader. No one
doubts this. He has done much for music
in this country, but unfortunately for him
| self nc is troubled with disease vulCarly
known as the big head, and with his in
crcasing years it has become chronic. He
eXacts great Difference from everybody that
is brought in contact with him and his
treatment of the members of the press has
simply been insutferable. The New York
scrtbes are remarkably independent body
OF men and are used to considerable de-
ference themselves, they could not and
would net brook the airs of Mr.. Thomas.
For many years Mr.. Thomas had it all his
own way in this country and was the
acknowledged autocrat in musical matters.
his word made or unmade men, till at last
his conduct became so overbearing and
impertinent that resistance became organ.
lied to dethrone him. The advent of Dr.
Damarosch was hailed with delight by the
men and women who longed for Mr.
Thomas downfall. Capital that had re.
fused to aid Mr.. Thomas was eenerousl,
placed at the disposal of DIR. Damaroscb
and the result was the magnificent Metro.
politan Opera House Such an institution
had been the dream of Theodore Thomas
life, but a stranger was invited to take the
baton in the city where Thomas had been
working half of his, life. He was the frs,
man to invite the American public &c
appreciate the beauties of Wagner, and
when Wagner gave his first grand per
formance at Bayreuth, Theodore Thomas
gave series of Wagner concerts, devotine
the proceeds to the purchase of prize tick.
cts for pilgrims to the Wagner shrine, but
with all of his transcendent, abilities he
failed to appreciate the scribes and on that
rock he split, and now the scribes are hunt
ing him down. 1t was cold day wher
Theodore forgot the critic-"betterf for him
that he had never been born; better that a
milestone had been cast about his neck and
that he were drowned in the sea-" Anton
Seidl protited by Mr.. Thomas's experience
and avoided his mistakes; the consequence
is that no music was ever heard like Wag.
ner's and no Interpreter ever unfclded its
beauties like Seidl Overlures that would
give an ordinary man VIOLENT attack OF
collie have been musically declared equal to
Mrs. WILSON'S Soothing Syrup Scenes
where the 275 pound Romeo clasped in his
atfectionate arms a substantial fairy who
could only have been weighed in a hay
scale, have awakened the widest FRENZY
and received the most rapturous applause.
The man who worked to effect all this
through the heat and burden of the Gay,
did not get his penny; but the man who
came in at the eleventh hour has reaped all
the glory and all the profit Seidl beers
the reporters, and the reporters wine Seidl.
Thomas, though Wagnerite, is now at tho
head of the English opera, and the question
is, shall We have native English opera
reared and tutored on our own soil; or Ger
man opera, with everything imported from
tha Rhine? From a financial standpoint
the German opera has got us. 1t pays its
bills. English opera, according to its bal
ance sheet, is sl5G,0OO behind. This is
rather poor financial showing for an, in
stitution that has been hsralded as q q ma
tiOnal success. q.
An effort was made TO create sensation
because the Kiralfy troupe went to hear a
Methodist minister preach last Sunday.
There was nothing in it. The managers
of the troupe invited the minister to the
theatre; he did not go. lie invited them
to come to church and they accepted the
invitation. That is all there was of it,.
The minister did it as an empty compli-
ment, and was astonished to find that the